


Heart of Darkness

by super_nerdy



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-06
Updated: 2017-09-06
Packaged: 2018-12-24 19:12:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 20,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12019209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/super_nerdy/pseuds/super_nerdy
Summary: This is my first fanfic here on AO3, so I hope you like it! Season 6 Slightly AU in which Regina deals with the parting from her darkness a little differently. (Some Outlaw Queen, Regina/Henry bonding and Regina/Emma friendship as well.)Regina begins to have nightmares that haunt her, and visions that make her question everything about herself. Something is terribly wrong, but can she stop it before its too late?





	1. Chapter 1

Regina's head was pounding, the throbbing ache almost unbearable. She blinked hard, but all that she could see was darkness. Her breathing was shallow as her heart hammered rapidly in her chest. She was terrified. She could smell something in the breeze, a fresh and inviting smell that drifted along and wafted into her nose. 

Apples

It all felt so strange, and yet familiar somehow. She felt as though she'd been here before. She tried to move, but she was bound in place. The ropes (which she had not registered until that moment) dug into her skin on her wrists, making them raw. She realized suddenly with horrific clarity that she had in fact been there before- it was her dream. A nightmare from so long ago when Emma had first arrived in town and began to tear her world apart. She gasped at the discovery, but was comforted by the fact that it was just a dream. 

"Henry!" she cried out, hoping to end this dream and wake up as soon as possible. She didn't hear his voice, but instead a cackle that she knew all too well. At once the blindfold around her eyes disappeared with a cloud of purple smoke, and before her stood The Evil Queen. 

"What?" a confused utterance escaped her lips in a whisper, her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. The Queen smiled maliciously at her other half with a coy fascination. 

"Surprised?" She asked mockingly. 

"I- I got rid of you. I took Jekyl's serum- I crushed your heart." Regina stammered. She knew this was a dream, but as hard as she tried she could not wake herself. This nightmare was going to run its course. The Evil Queen cackled haughtily once more, placing a deadly hand on her hip as she eyed Regina with a smile. She shook her head at Regina's foolishness.

"You of all people should know that you can't get rid the darkness so easily. No," she continued as she walked away from Regina, glancing over her shoulder, "I survived; I will always survive." 

"You're not a part of me anymore." Regina growled, her blistering anger boiling deep within her core. She was enraged, and wanted this to be over.

The Queen charged Regina, stopping just inches from Regina's face. She smelled strongly of apples, which made Regina begin to dislike them in that instant. She stared her evil half in the eyes, the same eyes that her victims had seen for so many years. Full of malice, rage, hatred. She felt a lingering sense of sorrow for all the destruction she had caused, and even a small tingling of fear that crawled up her spine. The Queen spoke low, with an anger that rivaled her own. 

"I will always be a part of you. The sooner you realize that simple truth, the sooner you will be able to stop what's happening to you." The Queen turned from her again, her long hair in one of its intricate side styles, brushed her across the cheek and tickled her face. She shook the feeling away, focused on the more pressing topic. 

"What are you talking about? What's happening to me?" She demanded, her inquiry coming out with a sense of urgency; a sense of dread. The Queen merely laughed again at her naivety; it was almost as annoying as Snow White's relentless hope. 

"You'll find out soon enough. But in the meantime I thought it would be fun to explore the darker side of your imagination." The Queen smiled, and with another cloud of smoke Robin appeared next to The Queen. Regina's eyes swelled with tears as she gazed at her lost love, standing before her. 

"Robin." Regina spoke, his name catching in her throat as she suppressed the urge to cry. The Queen rolled her eyes. 

"You truly love him? The man who sleeps in the woods and smells of pinecones?" The Queen said with revulsion. Regina couldn't control the tears any longer, and instead decided to let them fall down her cheeks. The Queen rolled her eyes at her weakness. 

"I can't stand this repulsive sight any longer. Take him, he is yours." Another puff of smoke, and the ropes that held her disappeared. She rubbed her wrists and ran to Robin, throwing her arms around him as he held onto her with all of his might. She knew her evil half had a price- in the end there's always a price- but at that moment she would pay anything to hold onto him. To feel his body against hers; warm and firm and real. He did smell of pinecones, and she loved it. 

"Regina." Robin whispered in her ear softly, nuzzling his face into her neck just to remember the scent of her skin. She breathed him in and kissed him with all the love in her heart. He was here in her arms, and she wasn't about to let him go. He whispered her name in her ear again with such love and happiness that she smiled. She clung to him, afraid to let go. 

"How sweet. But unfortunately this heartwarming little scene is not why I brought him here. I need something from you Robin." The Queen spoke, and Robin set Regina down to face her evil half. The Queen smiled wickedly, and suddenly Regina knew what she had planned. 

"No!" She screamed, but it was too late for her to save him. Regina stared in horror as The Queen ripped out Robin's heart. Robin fell to his knees in the street, Regina kneeling down with her love. She held his face in her hands and spoke softly as he breathed heavily from the pain. The Queen smiled, a dark passion burning in her eyes. Regina looked at her as tears of sadness and rage poured down her face. 

"Why are you doing this?" 

"I'm reminding you who we are! You can't change the darkness within you Regina. You and I both know that no matter how many good deeds, no matter how many sacrifices, you will always be The Evil Queen." She sneered at Regina. Regina shook her head in defiance. 

"No, this is not who I am anymore. I am good!" She shouted as she held tightly to her love. The Queen pursed her lips and made a tsk sound, staring down at Robin's heart. 

"Then I suppose I'll just have to remind you who you truly are." With a quick clench of her hand Robin's heart crumbled into dust, spilling through her fingers. Robin groaned in agony and became still in Regina's arms, her tears falling on his gentle face. She ran her fingers gently through his hair and wipes her tears off of his cheek, quietly pleading to whatever gods there may be to bring him back to her. She couldn't lose him- not again. 

"Even in death he makes quite the mess." The Queen said acerbically, wiping away the remaining dust of his heart from her hands. Regina glared up at The Queen, seething with rage. The Queen smiled down at her.

"Now there's the Regina I remember!" The Queen said as she pointed a bejeweled finger at Regina. Furious, Regina cried out in anger and seized The Queen by the shoulders, pinning her against the post she had been bound to. Instead of squirming underneath her grasp (the way she had hoped), The Queen laughed in satisfaction. 

"You feel that anger? That hatred burning deep inside of you? That will never leave you, Regina. I will never leave you." 

"No, you're wrong! I am stronger than the darkness. I am stronger than you!" Regina shouted back, her grip on her malevolent half tightening. She drove her hand towards The Queen's chest, but lingered just inches above her cleavage. She couldn't do this. As much as she wanted to, it was wrong. Deep down she knew that was true. 

"Go on Regina, do it. Rip my heart out and crush it; let it crumble into dust in your hands." The Queen urged, and Regina's hand trembled at the conflict of emotions raging within her. She pushed herself off of The Queen and stepped back, breathing heavily. 

"No, no I can't do this." She said between gasps. The Queen rolled her eyes and scoffed. 

"You're weak." She hissed, dusting herself off. "I guess I'll have to take matters into my own hands." The Queen lunged forward and ripped out Regina's heart, holding the glowing organ in her hand with glee. Regina could see the last remnant of the darkness in her heart swirling around through the deep red like a worm wriggling inside of an apple. The Queen stared down at her heart, frowning slightly. 

"There's not much darkness left, but we will change that." The Queen turned the heart over in her hand, studying it. Regina was gasping for breath, her chest on fire where her heart should be. 

"What are you going to do?" Regina demanded of her evil half. 

"You'll see. This is going to change everything." The Queen said as she smiled. She crushed Regina's heart in her hand slowly, watching her fall to the ground. Regina's chest seized in excruciating pain as it became impossible to breathe. She stared into The Queen's eyes, her last breath catching in her throat. The ground was so cold against her body, the only sound that came to her was the wind blowing through the leaves. All that was left was darkness. In the end, she supposed, that's all there ever was for her. 


	2. Chapter 2

Regina jumped up from her nightmare, her body shaking. She clutched her chest to slow her beating heart, but she could not calm herself down. She was still in her home, in her silk pajamas and warm sheets. But the smell of apples and forest lingered in the air. Her nightmare was more vivid than any she had ever experienced before, and it made her wonder.  . 

What is my mind trying to tell me?

She looked at her clock on her nightstand- 3:26 am. She huffed in annoyance at the hour and laid back down against the bed, determined to get more rest. Regina tossed and turned, trying desperately to fall back to sleep, but sleep did not come. She groaned and pushed herself out of bed, sliding herself into her matching slippers and robe before leaving her quiet bedroom. The house was still, and the silence that normally welcomed Regina now seemed to be mocking her. 

She walked down the stairs with no particular destination in mind. She found herself in her office, wrapping her arms around herself involuntarily from the cold. She went to the fire place and waved her hand, but a fire did not start. She shook her head and cleared her mind; she assumed that her nightmare and lack of sleep were impacting her skills. She tried again, and this time the fireplace roared and crackled from the flames that consumed the wood she had conjured. She had intended to sit at her desk until she felt so exhausted that her body had no other alternative but rest. Instead she sat down in front of the fire, letting the enchanted flames warm her body. 

Her mind raced with images from her dream- Robin's face, The Queen's wicked smile, her heart with that thread of darkness within. She rubbed her arms with her hands, making the goosebumps that were rising go down. Her mind kept jumping to the same thoughts, ones that terrified her.

What if there is still darkness inside of me? 

What if I can't control myself anymore? 

What if I become evil again? 

She stared deeply into the fire, forcing those thoughts away. She watched the flames burn the wood, popping and crackling rhythmically. She looked around the room until her eyes fell on the piece of Robin's arrow that Roland had given her. She retrieved it from the mantle above the fireplace and stroked the feather softly, lost in her memories. She smiled sadly at the gift, the pain from losing her true love was agonizing. A tear fell down her face, but she did not bother to wipe it away. She desperately wished things could have ended differently, but deep down she knew that if Hades hadn't killed Robin, then Zelena may not have discovered Hades' true nature. She might not have discovered the strength within her to defeat him. 

She remembered clearly how Robin jumped in front of her to deflect the blow of the Olympian Crystal, and the way his soul reached out to her with such love. Another tear fell down her face as she remembered all of these things. Regina recounted all of the sacrifices she had made ever since turning towards the light instead of the darkness, and wondered if it was ever going to be enough. She wondered if there was ever going to be something for her. Something she didn't have to worry about losing, like Henry, like her sister, like everything that she had ever cared for. She continued to stroke the feather on the piece of arrow, losing herself to her emotions. She felt despondent, alone, confused, afraid, and angry. Of all the emotions that were coursing through her, the anger within scared her the most. She knew what the extent of her anger could do, and even though she had removed the darkness within her, she was still terrified of the power it could have. 

Suddenly her mind traveled back to the Enchanted Forest, when her reign of terror as The Evil Queen made her the most feared person in all the land (next to The Dark One). Her mind suddenly recalled all of the horrible crimes that she had committed, the pain she had inflicted on so many people. Her mind reeled from the images that were flashing by her; all of the people that she had hurt during her reign. The anger within her started to grow, seizing her and removing all sense of reality. Before she realized what she was doing, she tossed the piece of arrow into the flames, watching it burn with a wicked smile on her face. 

Suddenly she realized what she had done, and was appalled at the sight of the blackening arrow and its singed feather. She pulled it out of the fire, burning the palm of her hand as she did so. She winced at the pain, but her focus was on the last piece of Robin she had left in this world, now charred and destroyed. She waved her hand over the blackened arrow, attempting to restore it to its original condition. The object did not change, it remained charred and damaged from the fire. Regina shook her head in disbelief and wondered again if it was the cause of such a late hour. She tried to clear her mind and perform the spell again, but once more it did not change. She then wondered if it was due to the fact that it was burned by an Enchanted Flame, but that should not matter as it was her magic that started the flames in the first place. A strange feeling of panic began to overtake her, and she wondered if this is what the evil queen was talking about in her dream.

 What if my magic is failing?   
What if I can't protect Henry or the rest of my family?

 She was terrified at the prospect of losing her magic, knowing that without it she would not be able to do much to protect the ones she loved. She cqrefully set the charred arrow piece back on the mantle where it had been before, and grabbed some of her special Apple Cider alcohol; the same concoction she had shared a glass of with Emma when she brought Henry back home. She accidentally made herself a rather large glass, as her hands kept shaking while she atrempted to pour. She put the alcohol away and sat down next to the flames once again, noting the light gray stain on her white floor from the arrow. She ignored it, taking a rather large drink from her glass instead. The drink was smooth, with a wonderful warming sensation that tingled the body and muddled the mind. She closed her eyes, forcing herself not to dwell on what could have been. She took another drink, and felt completely relaxed in the warm glow of the fire. Soon Regina had fallen asleep, but she did not dream at all.  


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry it took me a while to add more to this- between work and family issues, I don't seem to have as much time for uploading as I'd like. But I have two chapters done, so I hope you guys enjoy!

Regina awoke to the sound of her front door opening and a set of heels hitting the hardwood floor. She jumped at the sudden noise, making the muscles in her neck flinch from the aggravation. She had put a bad strain on her neck from sleeping on the floor for the rest of the night and she knew it would take a while for the pain to go away. She heard the footsteps growing closer and wondered who it could be so early in the morning.  
"Regina? Regina are you here?" Zelena called throughout the house. Regina stood and rubbed her neck, trying to ease the tension in the muscles. She could hear Zelena's footsteps getting  closer to her office, and before she could move Zelena was standing in the doorway, her baby in her arms.   
"Oh, there you are," Zelena said with a smile, "I was wondering if you would be able to watch little Robin for me for just a while? I have some things to do around town and- is this Casual Friday or something? Why aren't you wearing one of those pants suits that you're so fond of?" Zelana asked jokingly as she took in Regina's unkempt hair and bedroom attire. Regina ran her fingers through her hair quickly to try and make herself a little more presentable.   
"If I had known I was going to have visitors at such an early time in the morning, then maybe I would have dressed a little more appropriately." Regina spoke a little curtly, somewhat annoyed by her sister's intrusion. Zelena looked at her with a raised eyebrow.   
"Early morning? Regina it's almost 11:30." Zelena replied. Regina stared at her sister for a moment; it couldn't be that late, could it?   
"Damn, I still have to make my dish." Regina muttered under her breath. She began to quickly straighten up her office as her sister watched with a raised eyebrow.   
"Dish? Your dish for what?"   
"Snow and David's wedding anniversary-"  
"Oh you mean the one you nearly ruined?" Zelena quipped, causing Regina to glare before continuing.  
"They wantes to have a 'simple family party at Granny's with homemade food. I was planning on making lasagna, but now I have to find something to throw together in less than two hours." She said with frustration. She couldn't have been asleep for that long. Zelena stared at her sister and realized that there was something wrong.   
"Regina are you alright?" She asked with concern. Regina shook her head, dismissing the question.  
"I'm fine Zelena." she responded. Zelena could tell that she was lying; she knew her sister wasn't acting like her normal self. It made her worry.   
"You're not fine, I can tell. You can't hide something like this from me; we're sisters." Zelena stated, bouncing her baby gently to soothe her and keep her asleep. Regina was annoyed by the nagging pain in her neck and her sister's relentless questioning. She scoffed at her sister, her anger seeping through.   
"Because you know me so well in the ten minutes that we've known each other." Regina snapped, and Zelena stared at her sister with her mouth agape in shock. Regina looked down at the floor as her anger left her, now feeling sorry for what she'd said.   
"I'm sorry Zelena. If you give me a few minutes to go change I can watch Robin for you." Regina apologized. Zelena nodded and thanked her, removing herself from her sister's office. As she walked away she heard a wince of pain, followed by the shattering of glass from behind her. She turned around and rushed back into the office, finding Regina kneeling on the ground to pick up the shards of glass. Zelena set Robin down in one of Regina's plush office chairs and knelt down next to her sister. She looked at Regina with concern, but Regina was focused on the glass. Zelena started to help, and noticed the severe burn on Regina's palm. She seized her sister's hand and inspected the burn closely.   
"Regina, what happened to your hand?" Zelena asked with a sense of worry. She waved her hand over her sister's hand and instantly the burn was gone, the pain subsiding almost as quickly. Regina thanked her sister and picked up the rest of the glass and threw it away in the trashcan next to her desk.   
"I burned it last night in the fireplace." Regina said as she shrugged, as though it were no big deal. She thumbed through papers on her desk as busy work, trying to deter any further questioning. But Zelena noticed the way her sister avoided eye contact; something very unlike Regina to do. Zelena glanced next to her, and saw the burned arrow piece on the mantle. She picked it up gently, afraid it might crumble if she were not absolutely careful.   
"I'm guessing it has something to do with Robin's arrow?" Zelena questioned. Regina looked up at her slowly and nodded.   
"It. . fell into the fire last night when I while I was holding it. I tried to pull it out before it got too burned, but you can see how that worked out." She sighed and pointed at the charred arrow. Zelena waved her hand over the arrow and restored it to its original condition. She handed the arrow to Regina with a small smile.   
"Luckily with magic, nothing's every really destroyed." She said kindly. Regina gave her sister an appreciative smile in return as she took the arrow.  
"Thank you, Zelena." She replied. Regina held onto it for another moment before returning it to its proper place on the mantle. Zelena went over to Robin, who was still sound asleep on the chair, and picked her up gently. Regina excused herself and went upstairs to change, as Zelena headed to the kitchen to make tea. As she went upstairs she could hear Zelena moving about in the kitchen and cooing her daughter. She pulled out her black pencil skirt, matching blazer, red top, and changed quickly. She slipped on her black heels and went to the bathroom to comb her hair and freshen up.  
 Soon she was headed down the stairs looking like her normal self, but she didn't feel normal. Her mind felt clouded; like she was walking through a haze. She found Zelena in the kitchen, with Robin sitting in Henry's old high chair. She had to admit that Zelena looked at home in the domestic lifestyle. The teapot began to whistle loudly, making Zelena turn from her slicing lemons and take it off the heat. She noticed Regina out of the corner of her eye and smiled, asking her how she took her tea. The tea was made and the two sisters sat together in silence for a time, the only sound being the jangle from Robin's rattle. They finished their cups at the same time, and as Zelena got up to make herself another cup she decided it was time to ask her what was going on.   
"Zelena, I'm fine." Regina insisted, but Zelena knew better.   
"No you're not. I've never seen you like this before. Why didn't you use your magic to heal yourself, or to fix the arrow?" Zelena stared into her sister's eyes, silently pleading for an explanation. Regina sighed and looked away before speaking, as though not looking at her sister would make it easier to tell.   
"I tried to use my magic last night, but I couldn't get it to work. It feels like my magic is fading." Regina confessed.   
"Do you have any idea why its not working? Is it some sort of curse or spell?" Zelena questioned. Regina shook her head.   
"No, its not a curse or a spell. Its.." Regina stopped herself, staring down into her empty cup.   
"What, are you embarrassed to tell me? Would you prefer I have wings and a top hat?" Zelena quipped, slightly annoyed and hurt that her own sister was having so much trouble confiding in her. They may not have the best relationship, but the way Zelena saw it, how could things get better between them if they weren't willing to try? Regina smirked a little at her sister's remark, which made Zelena feel good. Regina sighed again, playing with the empty teacup.   
"Last night I had a dream; a nightmare. In it I..." Regina stopped, remembering her dream. She couldn't tell Zelena everything, not yet. Not until she knew what the dream meant herself.  
"You what?" Zelena urged gently, curious for an answer.   
"I watched Robin die all over again. He held me in his arms, whispered my name. He died in my arms and I couldn't save him. Not even in my own damn dream." Regina said as hot tears stung her eyes, threatening to fall. Zelena reached out a sympathetic hand to her sister, who took it in her own.   
"That's why its called a nightmare. I know how it feels to lose someone you truly love," Zelena said. Regina thought rather harshly that her sister couldn't even begin to understand how she was feeling. What her and Hades shared was nothing like the love between herself and Robin, and a part of her still blamed her sister for Robin's death. But she forced that thought away; Zelena was trying to show her that she was there for her, and Regina appreciated it.   
"and I know it doesn't seem like it now, but it will get easier Regina. The pain will start to go away." Regina gave her sister a small smile of thanks and squeezed her hand gently. They sat there a few minutes more before Zelena had to leave for her errands, which made her sister wonder what she could be doing that she couldn't take Robin along. But her mind was too clouded and muddled to think clearly, so she just dismissed it as nothing. Regina walked Zelena to the door with Robin in her arms, bouncing her to keep her calm. The cold coastal winds rustled through the golden autumn trees, reminding Regina of the end of her nightmare. She pushed the memory away and smiled reassuringly at her sister.   
"Are you sure you don't mind watching her for me?" Zelena asked once again.   
"It's fine Zelena, I want to watch her. Besides, I kind of miss holding a baby in my arms." Regina said, remembering when Henry was that small.   
"Alright, if you're sure. I'll be back for her in about an hour. Thank you again." Zelena said before she disappeared in a puff of green smoke. Regina closed the door behind her and looked down at little Robin. She had her father's eyes, so big and full of wonder. She bounced and cooed her the way she had Henry, making her niece giggle. Regina took Robin with her to the kitchen, setting her in the highchair before pulling out her box recipes. She found one that wasn't very time consuming and quickly found the ingredients, laying them out neatly on the counter. She prepared the strips of chicken and got them cooking in her best pan, enjoying the sizzle they made when they hit the bottom. The smoke that rose from the pan smelled wonderful, and she loved cooking something that wasn't a potion. The smoke swirled around the kitchen and permeated the air with its scent. The soft plumes of smoke filled Regina's senses, clouding her mind until she was lost in another haze. She flashed back to a gruesome memory from the Enchanted Forest, a day she had forgotten long ago...


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, I hope you're liking this so far. I'm sorry I keep interrupting, I just have one little thing to mention. When you get it, the name Eogan is pronounced "Owen". It's a classic Irish spelling. Anyways, read on!

Her carriage stopped close to the little village she sent her guards ahead to search. Snow White had been hiding here, and she was going to get answers from these. . people. The strong smell of smoke hung in the air from the homes her guards had burned to the ground, leaving the village as nothing more than ash and rubble. She stepped out of her carriage, her intricate blood red dress clinging tightly to her voluptuous body. She smiled with a giddy delight as she beheld the horror she'd caused. All of the death, the violence, the destruction. She absolutely loved it. The guards had the few people who survived standing in a line on the dirt path for her to question. Of all the pain she caused, she probably enjoyed this the most. She enjoyed terrifying her subjects, watching them squirm and cower underneath her gaze. She revelled in the torture, and she couldn't wait to begin. She walked up to the line of people, who instantly averted their gaze and stared at the ground.   
"I know Snow White has been here, and I know you hid her from me. She will never care about you the way that I do; I am your Queen." She began to pace from person to person, staring them down to break their will.   
"I am going to give you a choice: you can tell me where she is and you all will be rewarded," she stopped in front of a frail old man with white hair and a beard, who was leaning on a walking stick, "or you can choose to protect her, and suffer the consequences." She said low, so low that for a moment she thought the old man was the only one who heard her. She loved to get so close to her prey that she could almost smell the fear dripping off of them. It fed something primal deep within her soul, and she was being driven by it. Instead of cowering underneath her gaze, the old man looked up at her without fear.   
"You will not stop her. Snow White is our true Queen." He spoke, his voice hoarse with old age and breathing in so much smoke. She cocked her head to the side with a curious and amused look. She chuckled low at his words.  
"You truly believe that she cares about you? If she did, then why is she not here to defeat me? She's gone, because she doesn't care enough to save you." She growled as she stared him down.   
"I am not afraid of you." He replied courageously. She was surprised at his audacity, this commoner who had nothing but the rags on his back and the stick in his hand. She smiled at his boldness and replied.   
"Are you sure of that?" She asked. The old man stopped hunching against his walking stick and forced himself to stand tall as an act of defiance. She grinned wide; she'd hoped he would do that. She plunged her hand into his chest and tore out his heart, making the old man gasp and fall to his knees. She went to his face and whispered venemously, "That's right peasant. Kneel." She squeezed his heart just enough to cause him pain, making him clutch his chest. She stood and held out the beating organ in her hand for everyone to see.   
"This is what happens when you defy me." She bellowed. She squeezed the old man's heart until it was nothing more than a pile of dust in her hand. The old man's body fell to the ground, and his walking stick snapped in two. She wiped away the rest of the dust from her hands and began to pace in front of the villagers again. This time there was only fury in her voice. She had grown tired of this game; she wanted Snow White.   
"Tell me where she is! Where is Snow White!" She shouted. The villagers were terrified, but they still would not answer her. She shook her head in frustration, aggrivated by these commoners.   
"Fine, protect her." She turned to her guards and ordered that they execute them all. She heard the whisper of wind as their arrows rushed to their targets. The villagers fell at her feet dead, or soon to die. She pursed her lips when she noticed a small drop of blood on her hand, and wiped it away on the closest guard as she passed him back to her carriage. Suddenly she heard the sound of a twig snapping, and turned to see what was lurking in the woods.   
A small boy was hiding behind a large mossy tree trunk, his tears leaving clean streaks on his otherwise dirty face. He glanced around from the different guards and then at her, his eyes wide with fear. She smiled at him and waved hello, but the boy did not move.   
"Why hello there," she said, "you're quite a tiny little thing aren't you?" She smiled warmly, but the boy remained behind the tree. She took a step toward him and he turned, preparing to run, but she held out her hands as a sign of trust. He stopped, sniffling from his crying.  
"It's okay; you don't need to be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you." She took one cautious step forward, and then another. But by the third step the boy took off through the trees, running for his life. She shook her head at this child's stupidity, and used her magic to make the trees around him come alive. The branches reached down and seized the boy, hoisting him into the air and suspending him there until she could get to him. He struggled against the branches, breaking off a stick or two in his hand as he fought the enchanted restraints. As she and her guards made their way to the boy a thought struck her.   
You are just like your mother. 

Her mother had done the exact same thing when she tried to flee the kingdom, and now she was doing the same to this poor little boy. She sighed and pulled herself out of her own self pity, focusing on the boy instead.  
"Now is that any way to greet your Queen?" She asked. With a motion of her hand the branches lowered him to the ground in front of her. He stared up at her with big eyes that were turning red from his sobs. She reached out and held his chin in her hand, smiling at him. "You k-killed my mama and papa. You took my grandpa's heart and crushed it in your hand." He said, tears starting to fall once again. She knelt down to him so that they were eye to eye and wiped a tear off of his cheek.   
"That was..an unfortunate necessity. They refused to answer my questions, so they were punished. People are punished when they do not do as they are told." She replied. He looked down at the stick in his hands and played with it nervously. He began to weep for his family once more, his breath catching in his chest from the forceful sobs. Suddenly she had an idea. It was ridiculous and insane, but she liked the idea all the same.   
"What is your name?" She asked him. He sniffled and wiped his nose with his tattered sleeve before answering.   
"Eogan, after my papa."   
"Well Eogan, after your papa, how would you like to come and live with me in my castle?" She asked him. He slowly looked up from the stick at her, still sniffling. She continued.   
"You could have everything you've ever wanted. I could teach you how to be a prince. And someday when the time was right you would become king, and rule over all the land." She enticed him. He stared at her with furrowed brows, unsure of what to say.   
"Come with me, and you can do whatever your heart desires. You can be my son." She smiled genuinely at him, but he became angry.   
"No!" He shouted, making her recoil slightly at the sudden outburst. "You are not my mama!" She put her hands gently on his arms and looked into his eyes.   
"But I could be." She said. He shook his head and struggled in her grip, fighting desperately to break free. She tried to hold him, but the boy fought her with all of his might. As he struggled his hand slipped, and the branch in his hand struck her hard across the cheek. She let go of him out of shock and the sudden sting of pain on her cheekbone, clutching her cheek with her hand. The boy took this chance and sprinted away, headed towards the next village. She removed her hand from her cheek, finding a streak of crimson blood on her fingertips. She became furious, and any sense of reason she had was gone. She stood and rushed to her guards, seething with rage.   
"Kill him!" She demanded. The lead guard stepped forward with his bow in hand, but did not fire.   
"But my queen, he is just a child." He said tenatively. With a swift flick of her wrist the guard's neck snapped and he fell to the ground dead. She picked up his bow and arrow and eyed her prey, who was about to round the bend in the path far ahead of them and disappear. She released her arrow and watched it fly, zipping toward its target. The arrow struck the boy and he fell to the ground, never to move again. Her heart clenched with guilt. She had just killed an innocent boy, all because he had dared to tell her no and hit her with a stick. He could not have been more than five years old, and she had ended his life.   
You're not like your mother after all. You are so much worse.   
Tears filled her eyes, but she blinked hard to force them away. She tossed the bow down on top of the dead guard at her feet and began to walk back to the carriage. As she began to step into the carriage she heard a faint sound in the distance. It was a baby's cry, and it seemed to be getting louder. She looked around for the source of the cry, knowing she had heard this particular one before.   
"Robin." She said, realizing that she was having a flashback. Suddenly she was back in her kitchen, smoke filling the room and setting off the fire alarm. The chicken was completely black and smoldering in the pan, enveloping the room with thick smoke. She quickly  turned off the stove and tossed the pan in the sink, before grabbing Robin and carrying her into another room. Regina coughed and wheezed from the smoke, gently rocking the baby to soothe her. She set her down in a soft chair and turned off the fire alarm, then opened all the windows in the kitchen to try and clear all of the smoke. Regina's mind reeled from her memory. She remembered that afterwards she had taken a forgetting potion, erasing the entire memory of Eogan from her mind. But somehow the memory had resurfaced, triggered by the smoke. She looked at the time, which was now 1:35, and realized that she no longer had any time to prepare anything for Snow and David's anniversary. Regina couldn't figure out how so much time had passed; it felt like she only had the vision for a few minutes, not for an hour. Her mind raced frantically to find an answer, but she could not find one. She instead went back out to Robin and checked her over. She knew that her neice had been well enough away from the stove, but as a mother she had to check her over to be sure. Just as she had finshed making sure Robin was alright Zelena popped back in with a cloud of smoke and a smile. She smelled the burned chicken in the air and grimaced.   
"Bloody hell Regina, I thought you could cook." Zelena said as she pinched her nose. Regina handed Robin over, shrugging at her comment as though it were nothing at all.   
"I guess I had trouble with this recipe." She replied. Zelena cocked her head with that same worried look she had before.   
"Does this have anything to do with what we talked about earlier?" Zelena asked. Regina shook her head.   
"No, I just cooked the chicken for too long."   
"Much too long, from the smell of things." Zelena replied with her casual snark. Regina smirked.   
"Well thank you again for watching her Regina."   
"Like I said, I'm always happy to." She replied. Her sister disappeared once more, leaving Regina alone in her home. She sighed, deciding to not even try and magic a dish together for their party. She knew full well that her magic was not going to work anyway. She quickly went upstairs and freshened up, looking forward to being with her family and getting her mind off of things. But her mind continued to focus on Eogan and his scared eyes. She closed her eyes and tried to force the memory away, but his face was at the forefront of her thoughts, haunting her.


	5. Chapter 5

There was a definite chill in the air as Regina walked down Main street, making her wrap her arms around herself to keep warm. The black peacoat she had chosen to wear was quite fashionable and usually quite warm, but the freeze was chilling her body so much that nothing seemed to help. She was relieved when she saw the fluorescent lights of Granny's Diner just a few yards ahead of her. She quickened her pace, eager for the warmth of the restaurant. As she walked up the steps she glanced upwards to the sky. Dark clouds were inching their way closer to Storybrooke. A storm was coming, and Regina could tell it was going to be severe.

 When Regina stepped in the door to Granny's, she was enveloped in sound and warmth. In one corner of Granny's the dwarves were drinking pints of beer and laughing heartily about an old adventure. Dr. Hopper was sitting up at the counter with Pongo on the floor next to him, smiling to himself as he watched the people around him laughing and smiling. Emma and Killian were standing next to her parents, and they were all laughing loudly and joking amongst themselves. Henry and Violet were standing over at the jukebox, blushing and smiling as young love often does. Granny was behind the counter wiping everything down, a small grimace on her face. Choosing a seat at the counter, Regina made her way over and sat down, saying hello to the people nearby. 

"Regina," Snow said, "I'm glad you could make it." David and the others smiled or nodded in agreement, expressing similar feelings. Regina nodded and gave a small smile in return. 

"So am I." She replied, not too sure what else she should say. Laid out on the counter in front of her were all the different dishes everyone had brought for the party. It was quite the assortment: a pumpkin pie from Violet, seven layer bean dip and chips from Grumpy and the other dwarves, a homemade pizza from Emma and Henry, brownies from Snow and David, a plate of fruits and vegetables from Archie, and something covered in foil. Regina sighed, wishing she had been able to contribute to the feast in some way. Granny lifted the tray of brownies and wiped the counter underneath. 

"Can someone explain to me why you have a party at a diner, but you bring your own food to eat?" She asked aloud to the Charmings, peering at them over the rims of her glasses. David smiled. 

"Granny your diner is practially the town's landmark. It's home to us." 

"And we thought it would be fun to have everyone bring a special dish to the party, instead of getting us gifts. We have everything we could want right here." Snow replied as she looked up at David with love. David leaned in and kissed his wife softly, wrapping his arms around her waist. Regina looked away, her mind reeling with emotions. Granny smirked and went to the back of the kitchen, letting them enjoy their moment. Leroy walked over to Regina with a plate and fork in hand, and a wide grin on his face. 

"Okay, I have been waiting for you to show up; I want to be the first person to have a piece of your lasagna!" He said eagerly. Suddenly Granny called from the kitchen,

"My lasagna's better!", which earned a raised eyebrow and a scoff from Regina. She looked at Leroy and apologized, shrugging her shoulders. 

"I didn't get a chance to make my lasagna before the party." Disappointed, Leroy nodded and set the plate down, then grabbed a brownie and went back to the other dwarves. A booming chorus of laughter erupted behind her from the Charmings and Killian, making her ears ring. Then a loud timer went off in the kitchen, the aggressive beep making Regina grit her teeth. Suddenly the room became overwhelming- the sounds and the smells were bombarding her senses to the point of madness. She rubbed her temples to ease the feeling, but it wasn't helping at all. Henry walked up to Regina and smiled. 

"Mom, I'm glad you came." He said as he wrapped his arms around her and gave her a hug, squeezing her tight. Normally she could handle the squeeze, but now it was too much. She winced slightly and hugged him back, smiling. 

"I wouldn't miss it." She replied. Henry was about to say something else, when Violet called him back to her and the juke box. He walked away, lost in Violet's gaze. Regina watched them for a moment, seeing once again how grown up Henry was. She smiled as she watched her son talk to his girlfriend, and how enamored he was with her. 

The door blew open suddenly with a strong gust of wind, making everyone jump as it slammed against the wall. Pongo started barking loudly at the disruption, and despite Archie's best effort he could not silence him. David went over and closed the door, but Pongo continued to bark. The juke box came on suddenly in the back of the diner, the music playing while Henry and Violet talked together in front of the machine.   
It was so loud in the diner that Regina couldn't hear herself think. To everyone else it was at a normal decible, but to Regina the noise was so unbearable she wanted to cover her ears and leave. It was all too much. Her head was pounding, and for an instant it felt like the room was spinning. Her stomach lurched up into her throat, and she placed a hand to her mouth. Snow went to Regina and placed a hand on her shoulder, making her aware of her presence. 

"What happened? I thought you were going to make your lasagna?" She asked, but not with an accusing tone. She was just curious. Regina shrugged. 

"I ran out of time." Regina replied as she brushed her hair out of her face. Snow cocked her head, confused at her friend's words. It was not like Regina to be forgetful, or lose track of time. She decided not to press the topic, knowing that Regina would not elaborate willingly. Instead she smiled at her friend. 

"It's not important. You being here with us is what matters." Snow said. Then a moment of realization struck her. Snow grabbed the foil covered dish and placed it on the counter between them. 

"Besides, David and I brought an extra plate." Snow uncovered the dish, and the smell hit Regina hard. It was an apple pie. 

"You gave these apples to us, and I didn't want to let them go to waste. Here, let me give you a slice." Snow grabbed a knife and cut out a piece, then began to put it on a plate. 

"Oh no, thanks, I'm not very hungry-" Regina started as Snow handed her the plate.

"Its my handmaid Johanna's recipe. I hope it tastes as good as hers did." Snow smiled.

 The overwhelming scent of apples, combined with the cinnamon and nutmeg was too much for her. She shoved Snow out of her way and ran to the back of the diner. Regina heard the plate fall to the ground and shatter, but that was the least of her worries. She ran into the bathroom and threw the door shut behind her, throwing up the little that was still in her stomach.

 She coughed and heaved until she couldn't breathe. Her head throbbed furiously, and the room was definitely spinning now. A cold sweat had broken out over her body, and her clammy hands shook as she steadied herself against the tile floor. As she flushed she heard a knock on the door, followed by a soft voice. 

"Regina?" Snow asked, worried. She stuck her head in the door slowly, a look of concern on her face.  Regina stood up and went to the sink to rinse the bile taste out of her mouth. She felt dizzy, but luckily the room wasn't spinning anymore. That had to be a good sign, right? 

"It's alright Snow. I'm fine now." Regina replied, hoping Snow would leave it at that and let her be. Snow squeezed in the door and stood in front of it, blocking Regina's only exit. She crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow. 

"Regina I have known you for a long time, and in all those years you never got sick. Not once." Regina glanced up at her, but looked away. If she couldn't tell her own sister about this, how could she begin to explain it to Snow? If she did tell her about the dreams and her magic, Snow would tell everyone else, and the last thing she wanted was for everyone to make a fuss. Snow gasped as a thought struck her, making Regina look up at her with furrowed brows. 

"Regina, are you...?" Snow started with a joyous smile growing on her face. Regina cocked her head at first, but once she realized what Snow was implying she shook her head and scoffed. 

"No, I'm not having a baby." She replied, almost laughing at the thought.   
"Are you sure? I mean, have you seen Dr. Whale for a checkup? I assume you and Robin were very..close." Snow said, clearly ecstatic at the thought of a new member in their family. Regina looked up at Snow and spoke low. 

"Yes, Robin and I were..intimate. But it's not possible." 

"Regina you may have used protection, but that doesn't mean that you can't still be-" 

"I can't have children!" Regina said in a rush, wishing the conversation would end. Snow looked at her with the one emotion she hated most- pity. Regina sighed and leaned against the sink, realizing that Snow wasn't going to leave until she explained. 

"Back in the Enchanted Forest, I drank a potion to keep myself from having any children. The effects are unfortunately permanent." Regina said with regret. Snow sighed. 

"Oh Regina, why would you take something like that?" She asked as she went over to her friend. 

"My mother was so bent on keeping her power that any child I brought into the world would be a pawn for her, just as I was. I was so terrified of what my mother would do. I didn't want her to twist my future child into something dark and cruel. I didn't want them to become just like her.. or like me." Regina wiped her eyes as the tears began to fall. Snow wrapped an affectionate arm around her friend and suppressed her own tears that threatened to form. 

"Regina I'm so sorry." Snow replied. Regina sniffled gently before she continued. 

"Do you know what the worst part is? She found me just as I was about to take the potion. She tried to talk me out of it, but I did it anyway. The pain was excruciating, and one of the last things she said to me was 'I would never use your child to rule. There are more direct ways'. So if she was lying, that showed once again that her power meant more to her than even my own children, and that was the only way I could protect them." 

"And if she had been telling the truth?" Snow asked. Regina paused as she stared at Snow, barely even considering the possibility before now.

"If she had been telling the truth then I did it for nothing, but with all the years of manipulation and pain, she had to have known I would never believe her." 

Regina sighed again, recalling the memory. She regretted taking the potion, but at the time she felt she made the right decision. Snow gave her a hug, squeezing her gently. They were silent for a moment, and then Snow broke the silence. 

"If that's not the reason, then why did you get so sick?" She asked. 

"I.. must have the stomach flu." Regina lied. Snow looked at her, not believing what she said. 

"Regina, even when Henry had a cold or flu, you never got sick. You're probably the healthiest person I know." Regina shrugged. 

"It must be a vey bad strain." She replied, and gave Snow a look telling her that the conversation was over. 

"Alright, if its a flu then we need to get you home and back in bed." Snow stood and went to the door, turning the old brass handle. Regina stood up and took a shaky step forward. She didn't know what compelled her to do it, but she looked back into the mirror above the sink. She paled when she saw her reflection- in every aspect it was the same, except for her eyes. Her eyes were completely black, void of any color or light. She shook her head and stared at her reflection in shock, her mouth falling open from the gasp. 

"Regina?" Snow called. Regina glanced at Snow, and then back to the mirror. Her eyes were normal once again, the rich brown hue of her irises replacing the black that had just been there. She was so confused and scared.

Am I losing my mind? 

She followed behind Snow and went out to the front of the diner. The room went quiet when everyone noticed Regina walking back out with Snow. Looks of concern and worry were written clearly on all their faces, and the room was oddly colder than before. Henry went to his mom and looked her in the eyes. 

"Mom are you okay? What happened?" He asked, worried. Regina put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, trying to keep a brave face for her son. 

"I'm fine Henry. I just have a flu; that's all." She gave him a small smile.   
"Which is why Regina needs to get home." Snow finished. Emma fished in her pocket for her keys. 

"I can take you; my car's right outside." Emma offered. Regina scoffed. 

"In that yellow deathtrap you call a car? I don't think so. Not to mention the smell would probably turn my stomach more." Regina answered rather haughtily. She realized what she'd said and apologized quickly. 

"I'm sorry Emma, I didn't mean that. I just think I'd prefer to walk." 

"Regina that's not a good idea. If you're feeling that sick you shouldn't be walking all the way back to your house, especially in this kind of weather. It's bad enough you did it the first time." David interjected. Snow and Emma nodded in agreement, but Regina didn't want one of them to try and have another heart to heart with her; she just wanted to be left alone. 

"The cool air will help me feel better. Besides, I'll enjoy the walk." She said, forcing herself to smile. She was so tired, all she wanted to do was rest. 

"Well at least let one of us go with you so we can make sure you're okay." Emma replied. Regina began to say no, but Henry stepped forward. 

"I'll go." He said. Regina tried to reject the offer, but he refused to listen to it. 

"Mom, I'm going with you." He answered, cutting her off before she could say much of anything. She smirked at him, and noticed suddenly how tall he was. It seemed to her that only yesterday he was no higher than her waist and was afraid of the dark. Henry went to Violet and said goodbye, and just as he started to turn away she gave him a small kiss on the cheek. Henry tried to keep from grinning, but it broke through and turned his cheeks bright red. 

Everyone said their goodbyes to Regina and Henry as they left, telling her that they hoped she'd feel better soon. Granny handed Henry a container of her chicken soup for Regina, then told her to get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids. Regina nodded and said she would, giving her a small smile. As they left the diner the cold wind hit them, and Regina instinctively put her arm around Henry to keep him warm and safe, the way she had always done. Everyone in the diner watched them walking down the street until they were out of sight. 

"What happened?" David asked of his wife, putting his hands on her shoulders in a comforting way. Snow shook her head. 

"I don't know. I've never seen her like that before." They continued to stare out the window, watching the dark grey clouds as they continued to blanket the sky. The storm was going to be a strong one indeed. 

"I don't like the thought of them going out there when a storm is about to hit, epsecially Henry." David said. 

"He's with Regina. She'll keep him safe." Snow answered. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there! Are you enjoying my story so far? I hope so. Please let me know if you are- we writers thrive on feedback! 
> 
> Did you happen to notice the little part about Granny and Regina's lasagna? That's a little tie in to Lana's panel from the Creation Con this year! I was lucky enough to attend and ask her a question (part of it did in fact have to do with lasagna). I'll link the video below from YouTube. My question is in the middle- about 25 minutes in. Anyway: enjoy the story! 
> 
> https://youtu.be/Syhm3RnCMoI


	6. Chapter 6

Regina and Henry spent the walk talking about Violet, the movies he wanted to show her, and all of the pop culture that he was trying to educate her on. They kept a leisurely pace, but as the gusts of wind became stronger their pace quickened. It was not long before they were turning down the street towards home. 

"What have you watched together so far?" Regina asked with a smile. Henry thought back on the different films for a moment. 

"Mostly John Hughes movies, but I want to watch A New Hope with her this weekend." 

"Breaking out Star Wars now? You must like Violet a lot." Regina prodded with a grin. Henry grinned back, blushing slightly. He nodded. 

"Yeah, I do." He replied. She wrapped her arm around him a little tighter, giving her son an affectionate hug. They reached the opening of the front gate, and Henry left his mother's side for a moment to move the small branch from her tree out of the walkway. 

"It must've come down because of the wind." Henry surmised. It had begun to rain softly then, the water gently falling on their skin. Regina ran her fingers along the plants that lined the pathway, enjoying the feeling of the wet leaves against her fingertips. She liked the sound of the water hitting the ground, the crisp scent it left in the air. She liked the rain.

Rain... 

Her mind began to reel once more with memories she had buried in her mind long ago. A heavy rain, the smell of wet earth, another village, a crying old woman, her own wicked cackle, a beating heart. The flashes bombarded her so aggressively that Regina couldn't bear the pain. She felt so weak to the point that even standing was taking an effort. She couldn't keep herself upright, and had it not been for Henry and his quick reflexes she would have toppled backwards onto the path. Henry held tightly onto his mother, a look of worry on his face. 

"Mom, what's wrong?" He asked, searching her eyes for an answer. His voice sounded muffled and far off, like he was calling to her from across a great distance. She steadied herself against him, but her head throbbed furiously. She swayed on her legs and she blinked hard to try and force the memories away. But they remained, and they quickly grew worse. They were flashing by and disappearing again, and she put her hand to her head as she groaned softly. She looked at her son, no longer able to pretend that she was alright. 

"I.. I don't know Henry." Was all Regina could say. She felt lightheaded, and her legs buckled underneath her. Henry kept her from sinking to the ground and helped her up the pathway to the house, supporting her the whole way. If need be he would've carried her inside. He got her inside the door and sat her down in one of the decorative chairs in the foyer, then ran into the bathroom for any medicine he hoped would be of some use. 

Regina's head felt like it was going to burst, and she held her head in her hands from the pain. The memories were flashing by so quickly now that she couldn't even make them out. She seethed through clenched teeth, praying the agony would end. Tears were welling up in her eyes, and for a very brief moment everything went black.   
Henry came charging down the stairs with a bottle of aspirin and a glass of water, not caring at the moment about how much he spilled on the staircase. He went to his mother and opened the bottle, dumping a couple in his hand for her to take. 

"Here mom, try this." He said, trying to hand her the pills. She did not move, she simply let out another groan of pain. His heart jumped into his throat, and he swallowed hard as he tried to think of what he should do next. 

"Mom?" Henry said softly. He put a gentle hand on his mom's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. Suddenly Henry couldn't breathe; it felt like his throat was being crushed. He gasped and coughed, but no air filled his lungs. Regina stood from the chair, and when she looked up at Henry he paled at the sight. Her eyes were completely black and distant, empty of any feeling at all. 

"Please..s-stop" Henry choked out. He tried to make her recognize him, but she was lost in a trance. She smiled wickedly at her prey, not truly knowing who he was. Henry gasped and sputtered, clutching his throat in a desperate attempt to breathe. The edges of his vision were going blurry, and he could tell that he did not have much time left. He looked into his mother's eyes and spoke to her again. 

"M..mom ple-ase." He whispered. He saw something in his mother's expression change- a flicker of recognition, and then the shocking realization of what she was doing. The blackness in her eyes faded away, and she let go of the hold she had on Henry. Henry tumbled backwards and crashed into the end table, coughing and gasping for air. 

Once he was able to breathe normally he looked towards Regina, who had collapsed onto the hardwood floor. She laid there on her side, her soft raven hair falling over her face. Henry realized with terror that he couldn't tell if she was breathing. He rushed to her side and rolled her onto her back, trying not to panic. A faint trickle of blood fell from her nose, but he wasn't sure if it was from the fall. He shook her shoulders gently to wake her, but she didn't move. 

"Mom?" He said. She remained still, and Henry noticed with horror that she was very pale. His eyes started to well up with tears. He pulled his cellphone out of his pocket and dialed Emma quickly. He heard it ring twice before she answered. 

"Hey kid, how's she doing?" She asked. Henry voice caught in his throat for a moment before he could answer. 

"Mom, I don't know what happened. She passed out; I don't know if she's breathing!" Henry stammered into the phone. 

"Henry, stay with her and try to wake her up. We're coming right now." Emma hung up the phone as she left the diner with Killian, Snow, and David in tow. Henry set his phone aside and looked at his mother with fear. The woman who had raised him, nursed him back to health from countless colds, flus, and other sicknesses. The woman who had loved him sinced the first time she held him in her arms. 

He tried to think of something he could do to help her, but there was nothing that could be done. He lifted her head up in his hands, her hair still a little damp from the soft rain. It brushed against his arm, tickling him. He thought of how this could be the last time he'd ever see her again, and he felt terrified. He hoped they would all get there soon, before it was too late.

"Mom! Mom please, wake up!" Henry pleaded. His tears fell down his face, and he hoped to god she wasn't dead. He cried out to her again desperately, his tears falling on her face. 

"Mom please! Mom!" 


	7. Chapter 7

David carried Regina into the hospital, everyone else following directly behind. Doctor whale approached the group with his typical smarmy grin.

"Well look who's dropped by! How was the party? You know I was kind of hurt you guys didn't invite me." He quipped. 

"Save it, Whale. We need your help." Emma said. Dr. Whale looked down at Regina in David's arms and scoffed. 

"Did the Queen have a bit too much to drink? You'd think she'd be better at holding her liquor." He said incredulously. Henry stepped forward, his eyes reddened from his tears. 

"She's not drunk, she's sick! She collapsed, and we can't wake her up." Dr. Whale's expression took on a more serious tone as he realized this wasn't a minor visit. He took them all to a vacant room and as David laid her down on the bed Whale called for any nurse who wasn't busy. As the nurses came rushing in with various instruments he shoed them all out, promising them that he would let them all know as soon as they had any results. 

It was raining much harder now, the large raindrops pounding against the windows that ran behind the seats of the waiting room. No one said a word, letting the rain beat on the glass like a drum. Emma went to call Zelena and tell her what was going on. She knew her and Regina didn't always get along, but she was her sister, and shs needed to know.

It seemed like hours since Dr. Whale had instructed them to wait, but when Henry looked at his watch he found that barely an hour had passed. Henry rang his hands, the turmoil inside him eating away at his conscience. 

"It's my fault." Henry said in a quiet voice. Snow looked at him and shook her head. 

"No it's not, Henry." She replied as she wrapped an arm around him. 

"Yes it is. I should've done more." 

"You did everything you could. If anyone should've done more it was me. I should never have let her go home on foot. I should've taken her home in our truck." Snow replied. David entered the conversation then. 

"It's not anyone's fault. Regina is very sick, and nothing any of us could've done would have kept her from getting worse. Whale will figure out what's wrong." He said, giving them a hopeful smile. Just as Emma was entering the waiting room Zelena rushed in with Robin in her arms, looking worried. 

"What's going on? Where's Regina?" She asked. Snow went to her and put a hand on her shoulder. 

"Zelena, why don't we go sit down?" Snow offered, gesturing to the seats. 

"I don't want to sit down, I want some bloody answers! Where is my sister? What happened to her?" Zelena demanded. Dr. Whale cleared his throat as he entered the room, making his presence known. Everyone turned to face him, hoping he had some good news. Dr. Whale sighed-  this part of his job was never easy. 

"We did everything we could, but despite our best efforts we were unable to wake her. I'm sorry." He said softly. Snow gasped and put a hand to her mouth, tears falling. Zelena stood there and let her tears fall down her face. Henry began to cry, and Emma wrapped her arm around him. 

"Is she..?" Emma asked. Dr. Whale shook his head. 

"No she's still alive, but barely. She's in a comatose state, and we can't figure out the cause of it. It's almost like the curse Henry was under when he ate that turnover." Whale surmised. A spark of hope ignited in Henry then, and he broke from his mother's embrace. He ran down the halls and into Regina's hospital room. 

When he reached the doorway he paused at the sight of her. She looked so small and frail lying there on the bed. She had been stripped of her clothes and dressed in a hospital gown, with a breathing tube in her nose and IVs in her arms. The heart monitor behind her beeped monotonously, her heartbeat going much too slow. Henry heard the others entering the room, but he didn't acknowledge them. He went around to the side of her bed and took her hand in his. It was cold and limp, and for a moment he wondered if she really was dead. 

Zelena gasped at the sight of her sister, and she scolded herself for not realizing thag something was very wrong earlier that morning. Robin began to cry, and she rocked her daughter as she wept. 

"Henry.." Emma said. He didn't look up at her. 

"Dr. Whale's right, it's just like the other curse. Which means she can be woken up by true love's kiss." Henry glanced up at Emma with a longing look, as though he were silently begging her to believe. She gave him a nod. Henry turned his attention back to Regina, and gently brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face. 

"Don't worry mom. I'm going to fix this." He whispered. He leaned towards her and kissed her on the cheek softly. They all expected to see the brilliant flash of light, followed by Regina opening her eyes. But nothing changed. Henry looked around at the others as the seconds passed. He kissed her again, but still nothing changed. Henry began to panic; he wasn't ready to lose her. 

"No, I don't understand!" He cried out. 

"That kiss was never going to work."  A gruff voice spoke from the doorway. Rumple walked in, taking off his damp coat and setting it in the chair by the doorway. 

"Gold, did you do this?" Emma accussed, getting nose to nose with him. 

"Miss Swan I can assure you, if I wanted Regina dead, I would have done something a bit more permanent." He replied. 

"Then why didn't it work?" Henry asked. Gold stepped further into the room and approached the foot of the bed. 

"It didn't work because it's not a curse that's doing this." He answered, pointing to Regina. 

"If it wasn't a curse that did this then what did?" Snow asked. Rumple turned to face her. 

"When Regina ripped herself in half she believed she had removed all the darkness from her heart, but a small bit of it remains. That darkness is resurfacing, attempting to make her evil again, and she is suppressing it to the point that its doing damage to her body." 

"So what can we do?" David asked. Rumple simply shrugged. 

"Unfortunately there's nothing that can be done. She has to do this on her own."   
"Can you help her?" Henry asked. 

"I'm sorry Henry, I can't." 

"You can't or you won't?" Emma asked as her eyes narrowed. 

"I can't. Regina has to fight the darkness on her own." Rumple stated. Snow shook her head. 

"No I don't believe that. There's always another way. There has to be something that can help her." She said. Rumple paused, and then sighed. 

"There may be something that can help." He said. 

"What?" Emma demanded. 

"Fairy dust." 

"There's nowhere that we can find fairy dust in this realm- it's gone." David added. 

"Well it just so happens that I know where we can find some." Rumple said. 

"Of course you do." Emma commented. Rumple, undeterred by her remark, continued to explain. 

"Hidden down in the cavern underneath the library there is a box. Inside that box is an emergency reserve of fairy dust- enough for both of us." 

"Both of us? What do you need it for?" Snow asked. 

"That does not concern you. What does concern you is where the dust is, and that I will be taking half." 

"Is that the price for this information?" David asked. 

"Yes it is. As you should all know by now, everything comes with a price, including my services." 

"So if you need this dust so badly why don't you get it yourself? You are the Dark One." Zelena asked shortly. Rumple remained stoic, his face revealing nothing. 

"Because the person who placed the fairy dust down there was Cora, and she used blood magic to protect it. I can't find it, even with my magic. Only someone related to her can find it." 

"I'll go." Henry said, standing tall. Emma put her arm out in protest. 

"No Henry, it's too dangerous down there." She replied. 

"Your mom's right, Henry. I'll go." Zelena said. Emma nodded and spoke. 

"I'll go with you." 

"Me too." David replied. Rumple nodded. 

"Well then I suggest you get going; she doesn't have much time left." He said. Zelena handed Robin to Snow, who rocked and cooed the baby to keep her calm. Emma and David followed behind Zelena when Rumple spoke again. 

"Oh, and I would recommend you stay on your toes. Even with blood magic, Cora was known for setting traps." The three of them listened to his advice and left the hospital room with a mission to complete. They were going to get the fairy dust and save Regina- no matter what.


	8. Chapter 8

Regina found herself standing in front of Rumpelstiltskin in the middle of a vast forest, a large beating heart in her hand. The unicorn to whom the heart belonged winnied and nayed in fear.

"Crush it." He said with an impish grin. His scaly skin reflected the light in a repulsive way. Regina glanced down and found herself clad in her old riding attire. What the hell happened? A minute ago she was walking home with Henry, and now she was in the middle of the Enchanted Forest. And not in the present day, either. She remembered this moment vividly. It was a memory from when she was younger - and not trained in the ways of magic.

"What the hell is going on?" She said with frustration.

 "Dearie dearie dearie ... And I had such high hopes." 

"Oh will you save it you scaly little hobgoblin! I've been here before. This has already happened." Regina said shortly. Rumple giggled.  
   
 "Well of course it has! This is your dream, we are going where your mind takes us." He replied. Regina stepped closer to him, still holding the heart. Her eyes burned with a fire.  
   
 "Then why won't it take me to see my son?"  
   
 "You can't see your son until you wake yourself up, and that can't happen until you figure out why you're here. For now, we're going back to the place you need to be."  
   
"And where exactly is that?" She asked with frustration.  
   
 "The beginning. We are going back to when you first learned to use your magic." Rumple said, flashing her a rather unappealing grin.  
   
 "It's just like old times!" He said with his typical flare. Regina scowled at him. She knew she didn't have very long - her heart was getting weaker by the minute, and she could feel it. She didn't have any time to play games. But she also knew she couldn't wake herself up before this dream had run its course, not by herself. Like it or not, she was stuck.

                       *    *    *    *

Emma, Zelena, and David reached the library in little time, and as the three got out of the car they noticed that the storm had lessened slightly. It was cold and the rain continued to fall, but the downpour wasn't quite as severe as it had been before. They entered the library and went straight to the elevator, waiting as the machine opened its heavy metal doors. They entered the elevator in silence, and stayed that way until Emma noticed a tear on Zelena's cheek. 

"Zelena, Regina will be fine." Emma stated, as much to reassure herself as Zelena. Zelena looked at her and then at David, trying to find the words.

"It's not fair. Just when I think there's a chance for me to be happy, something comes along and ruins it." She said as she wiped the tear away. Emma said nothing, she simply put a comforting hand on Zelena's shoulder. Zelena sniffled.  
   
 "Regina and I don't always get along. Hell, we fight most of the time actually. But we were finally starting to feel like a family. And now this happens."  
   
 "Regina is going to be fine," David said, "we just need to get the fairy dust, and you'll be back at each other's throats in no time." Zelena smirked at his remark, as the elevator reached the bottom. The doors opened slowly, revealing the dark cavern underneath the library. Zelena stepped out first, and when she determined that it was safe the others followed. 

"Zelena, do you have any idea where Cora might've hidden it?" Emma asked.

"Not really. She could've hidden it anywhere down here." She replied. They all looked around, searching every nook and cranny for any sign of a box. They didn't leave a single stone unturned, but as the list of possible hiding places grew smaller they began to worry. 

"What if it's not even down here anymore? How do we know my mother didn't take fairy dust before she died?" Zelena said, slumping against a large rock in defeat. David, forever the optomist, replied. 

"Rumple's information is always accurate when he has something to gain. Just keep looking." He encouraged them. Zelena sighed and pushed herself up off the rock, beginning the search again. David reached his hand into a small crack in the rock wall just large enough for his arm to fit inside. He didn't feel a box, but something else.  
   
 "Hey, I think I've got something." He signaled, and the two women rushed over. 

"What is it?" Emma asked. David pulled his arm out of the opening.  
   
 "Reach your hand in there." He said. Emma looked at him puzzled, but did as he asked. She reached her arm inside as far as it would go, but when her fingers did not feel something tangible she frowned.  
   
 "Dad there's nothing in here." She said. Zelena rolled her eyes at the waste of time.  
   
 "That's what I thought too. But then I realized something: a crack in a rock like that, especially way down here, would be cold and damp right?"  
   
 "Yeah?" Emma said, waiting for him to continue.  
   
 "What do you feel?" David asked. Emma suddenly realized what he was talking about.  
   
 "It's warm; warm and dry."  
   
 "Exactly! And from what little I know about magic is th-"

"Is that magic can radiate warmth. Well done, Charming." Zelena said, finishing his thought. Emma removed her arm from the opening and moved aside, allowing Zelena to reach in the opening.  
   
 She could definitely feel her mother's protection spell surrounding it, and when she reached through it the crack glowed with a brilliant light. A moment later Zelena was retrieving a small wooden box in her hand.

"Well that was easier than I thought it was going to be." David said. They all smiled at their small victory, but the celebration was cut short when they heard a howling come from the shadows.  
   
"You just had to say that, didn't you?" Zelena snapped back.

The howl came once again, this time even louder than before. Suddenly they noticed two glowing red eyes peering at them from the darkness. 

"What the hell is that thing?" Emma asked aloud.  
   
 "I don't know about you, but I don't plan on sticking around to find out!" Zelena replied. She waved her hand to take them all out of there, but nothing happened. She shook her gloved hand, astonished at her failure, and tried again. Still nothing happened, and the creature was becoming even more agitated. It began to growl deeply.  
   
 "Zelena, get us out of here!" David said with urgency.  
   
 "I'm trying! I think my mother put some sort of dampening spell in this place. My magic's not going to work." She replied.  
   
 Suddenly the creature sprang forth from the darkness, and in the dim light it was massive. A large wolf, made from some form of dark magic. The shadows that made up its body swirled about as it took its full form, its head coming to David's chest when it stood on all fours.  
   
 "That's the biggest wolf I've ever seen." David said in awe. The dark wolf snarled at them, snapping its phantom jaws at the trespassers of its domain. Emma stuck out her hand to release her light magic on to the beast, but nothing happened.  
   
 "My magic -"   
   
 "Yeah, did you miss the part when I mentioned the dampening spell? If my magic won't work down here then neither will yours." Zelena spoke, agitated.  
   
 "Then what the hell do we do?" David asked, shouting over the snarls of the beast.  
   
 "Run!" Emma exclaimed. They took off towards the elevator in a mad dash and Zelena stumbled, but David caught her and kept her on her feet. The wolf's howl echoed off the cavern walls, making it sound even more menacing.

"When I woke up this morning I hadn't planned on becoming a chew toy!" Zelena stated angrily. They could hear the beast following close behind, its breath warming their backs.  
   
 They were just a few yards away from the elevator with its strong doors to protect them, and David smiled at their luck. The wolf sprinted around them and stopped in front of the elevator, blocking their only way out.  
   
 "What now?" Emma asked. David glanced around and noticed the sword Emma used on Maleficent all those years ago, stuck in the corner underneath a pile of debris.  
   
 "We need to split up." He said.  
   
 "Why, so the wolf can pick us off one by one?" Zelena stated. David ignored her, staring into the wolf's eyes. The wolf stared back, as though something about David fascinated it more than the others.  
   
 "There's a sword over there I can get to, but not if we stay together. We need to run in different directions so this thing won't know who to chase. Just try to distract it long enough for me to get to the sword." They both nodded in response.  
   
 "Okay on the count of three we go... One... Two... Three!" 

 They all ran to different areas of the cavern. The wolf chased after David first, but then turned and went to Emma when she yelled and banged on a rock to distract it. As it turned to chase her she gulped down the lump that had formed in her throat. This thing was truly terrifying. It sprang forward and Emma shielded her face with her arms. But the wolf lept over her entirely, heading towards Zelena. 

Zelena saw the wolf headed straight for Emma and pounded against a rock, shouting and hollaring to make it angry. It snarled and ran after her with speed. She turned to run, and as it pounced for her she slipped, falling face first to the ground. She scratched her face, but that was nothing compared to what the wolf would surely do to her. She rolled over and saw the wolf slowly appoaching her, its ears bent back and teeth bared. She thought of Robin, and shouted to Emma that she wanted Regina to take care of her if she died. She could feel the hot breath of the wolf on her skin, and she whispered her daughter's name as she closed her eyes. And then suddenly it was gone. She opened her eyes and saw the beast taking off to the other side of the cavern, straight for David. 

David slid the last few feet to the sword, making him look as though he were playing baseball rather than trying to defeat an evil wolf creature. His hand found the cold metal of the hilt and he pulled hard, freeing the sword from the rubble. It took some strength, but soon he held the tarnished sword in his hands.  
   
 He heard a low growl come from behind him, and he turned to see the wolf standing several feet above him on a large rock that jutted out from the side of the wall. Zelena and Emma were both trying to distract the beast and pull its attention away, but it was fixed on David, ready to strike.

The beast lunged at David, jumping off the rock to land on him. David put out his hand instinctively to protect himself, and the wolf landed on top of the sword. The wolf let out and ear piercing cry as the sword impaled it, and then it disappeared in a cloud of black smoke, the magic holding it together undone. David toppled to the ground from the attack, the sword clattering near him as he fell. Emma and Zelena ran to him and helped him up, making sure he was all right. He chuckled as he dusted himself off.  
   
 "Never a dull moment in Storybrooke is there?" He joked.

"C'mon, let's get this fairy dust back to Regina." Emma said. They all ran back to the elevator and went up to the library floor, rushing out of the doors and back to the car. Soon this was all going to be over...


	9. Chapter 9

Regina's subconscious mind seemed to have a sick sense of humor. Trapped in her own mental prison, with Rumpelstiltskin as her guide. She knew that out in the real world not much time had passed, but in this hellish dreamscape it seemed that she had been here for so long already.  
   
 Her and Rumple had gone on many tasks so far, giving her 'tests' as he called them. He made her craft powerful curses, learn the ancient language of magic, create fireballs in her own hands, and even the occasional lesson in sarcasm. She obeyed every command he uttered without hesitation, knowing full well that the sooner she learned whatever skill he was trying to teach her, the sooner she could wake up and see her family again. 

Surprisingly they seemed to be working (at least in her dream). She had her magic back, and while it was not nearly as powerful as it had been before, it definitely made her feel stronger. But with every new place Rumplestiltskin whisked them off to, and every new test to face, she hoped it would be the last one and she could go back home. 

Rumple had transported them both to the deck of a ship, of all places. The ship was out to sea, and a storm was upon them. The night sky flashed with lightning, briefly illuminating the dangerous clouds that surrounded them. The strong winds and choppy waters would have normally turned Regina's stomach, but here it didn't seem to bother her at all.  
   
 "What the hell are we doing here?" Regina shouted over the cries of the men trying desperately to save their ship. Rumple smiled at her.  
   
 "We're here for you dearie. This is another test." Regina's eyebrows furrowed.  
   
 "What kind of test?" She asked, her eyes shifting from the people on deck then back to Rumple. He grinned wide.

"Think of it as a midterm of sorts. It's time for you to show me all that you've learned. You see all of these men, fighting valiantly to save their ship? How noble they all are. Pick one and send them overboard." He grinned at his prodigy. Regina's eyes grew wide in shock.  
   
 "What?! I can't!" She replied.  
   
 "Sure you can. Just wave your hand and send them out to sea. How about that one?" He replied, pointing to a young man trying to secure the rigging. He was no older then Henry, and he looked terrified.  
"No I won't do it!" She yelled back.  
"Well if not him then how about another one? The captain maybe?"    
 "But they'll die!" She fired back.  
   
 "Well that's the idea, dearie!"  
   
 "No! I won't kill any of them; they're innocent!" Regina said. Rumple stared at her for a moment, then spoke in a low voice that came out sounding like a growl. 

"Fine, if you won't do it then I will." Rumple chose the man by the rigging and tossed him over the side with his power, smiling like he was truly amused. Regina gasped. As he was hoisted over the side of the ship his wide eyes were filled with fear. None of the men noticed their fellow crewman go overboard because they were all fighting to keep the ship above water. 

Regina ran to the side of the ship, watching in horror as the young man fought against the pull of the current. He coughed out the ocean water that surrounded him, and he shouted desperately for help. Rumple giggled in delight as he struggled to stay alive. 

"Shall I throw in another one?" He asked giddily. Regina glared at him. 

"Pull him up. NOW!" She yelled at him. 

"If you want him to stay alive, then you're going to have to pull him out yourself." He replied. They looked back to the young man, who was quickly slipping underneath the strong waves. Regina raised her hands and tried to lift him back onto the boat, but her magic faltered. She shook her hands and growled in frustration, knowing that they both had limited time. 

"You might want to hurry up." Rumple commented, pointing to the young man and smiling. She was about to try her magic again, but she could feel the strength of it dwindling. She hoisted her legs over the side and dove into the icy waters, the chill of the ocean settling into her bones. It was so dark beneath the waves that she could no longer see the young man, or anything else for that matter. She forced herself to concentrate and created a ball of light with her hand, and while the light flickered from its weakness, it was enough for her to find him again. She swam further down into the sea, grabbing him by the collar of his coat before he could sink any deeper. She immediately began to swim upwards, feeling the supply of oxygen in her lungs growing thin.

She felt something brush against her side, and she pointed her light toward the cause. A long, massive tentacle was moving past her through the water. She forced herself not to gasp knowing the last of the air she had would be gone. When she looked closer she saw a giant circle of black that was larger around than a dining table. She shuddered, realizing that must've been the eye of the enormous beast. She was afraid of this monster, the behemoth that had come forth from the depths. Her mind suddenly cleared, and she knew exactly what to do. She tried her magic once more, and with it the two were instantly back on the deck of the ship. 

Regina coughed and spat out the water, but the young man remained still in her arms. She was kneeling next to him, shaking him gently to try and wake him up. 

"Oh, that's a shame. He seemed like such a nice young man." Rumple said mockingly. Regina ignored him, focusing on the person in her arms. She laid him down flat against the deck and began to resuscitate him, her worry taking over her. Rumple watched her attempting to save the young man without interest. He was genuinely bored with the whole thing and couldn't care less if he lived.

"I think you were a little too late." Rumple said. 

"Rumple, leave me alone." Regina commanded before she breathed another chest full of air into his lungs. 

"You might want to throw that one back. He doesn't look very fresh." He teased as he pointed to the man lying next to her. The ship groaned from the strain being put on it from the ocean, and it shuddered as the main support frame began to break apart. Regina kept trying to revive him, to bring the poor man back from the precipice of death. But the more she fought to save him the more she began to realize it was a useless cause. 

But shs wasn't ready to stop yet, especially when Rumple wanted her to do so. She closed her eyes and exhaled slowly, clearing her mind of all the distractions. She held her hands a few inches over his chest and created a bright light that radiated from her palms and made them glow intensely. For the first time since she arrived in this dream world Rumple was quiet, watching over her shoulder with fascination. She gently pressed her hand to his cold chest, and chanted a short healing spell she had read some time ago. Nothing happened; the boy remained still. Rumple sighed with boredom. 

"Didn't work, did it?" He asked mockingly. Regina fumed, but she did not look up at him. 

"Be quiet!" She growled. He simply giggled at her fury. 

"That's not going to work on a dead man, dearie." 

"He's not dead!" She shouted. He leaned in closer to her.

"Stop wasting your time, there's no point! Just use the magic you're wasting to throw him back in the water." Rumple said, but this time he spoke urgently. He seemed to be anticipating something. Regina let out a yell and raised her hand to him, blasting him with her magic. Rumple was thrown over the side of the ship, and Regina heard him splash into the water. With the same fury in her heart she tried to save the man again. 

She let her magic consume her thoughts until her whole arms glowed brilliantly with her power. She slammed her hands down onto his chest and imagined what she wanted his body to do. She thought of the lungs taking in oxygen, and she thought of the heart coursing blood through his veins. The heat from her magic began to warm his body from the inside. His body began to glow from her magic, and she smiled when she realized it was working. Just as the man began to cough the sea water out of his lungs Rumple appeared beside her again, completely dry and unphased. 

"Looks like you saved him after all." He said. Regina jumped slightly at his presence, but smiled at him with joy. 

"Yes I did." She said proudly. She looked down at the young man, who was shivering next to her. He was exhausted and practically hypothermic from the chill, but he was alive. He looked into Regina's eyes with such gratitude and smiled at her. 

"You- you saved me." He said. Before Regina could reply he had wrapped his arms around her in an embrace, holding her close. 

"Oh thank you! Thank you for saving my life!" He said over and over again. Regina's eyes swelled with tears as she held the young man back. His voice was cracking, and she smiled with pure happiness. Rumple however, was not pleased.  

Suddenly a loud gutteral cry came from the water, making everyone turn towards the direction of the horrid sound. A large tentacle emerged from the sea, rising higher and higher into the sky above them. It rose higher than the tallest mast of the ship, extending so far up that it seemed to be touching the clouds. All the men on deck began running about frantically at the sight. Some grabbed weapons to attack the beast with, others diving over the side of the ship in an attempt to survive. 

The tentacle came crashing down towards the ship, snapping the large mast like a twig. The men screamed in terror, knowing that they were not going to survive. The young man clung to Regina like a small child, shaking more from fear than the cold.  

"Please save us! I don't want to die!" He begged her. He sounded like Henry. Regina looked at this trembling young man, his fear making him look as more of a boy to her now than before. She wondered of his mother, and how she would feel when she learned of her son's death. The tentacld continued to fall, and it was about to land on them. She had no time, and after the great deal of magic she had already spent to save him she didn't have the strength to transport them to safety. She held him tightly to her and whispered that in his ear that it would be okay. She closed her eyes and braced herself for the impact. She wasn't sure what it would feel like to die, but she hoped their death would at least be quick. Her heart raced, but as the seconds passed she discovered that nothing happened. She looked down and the man was gone, as was the ship, the tentacle, and the ocean. She was back in her castle in the Enchanted Forest, kneeling on the floor of her bedchambers. She looked out the window, finding that it was still mid day. It seemed that no time had passed since Rumple had taken them to the ship. She heard him sigh harshly and she jumped. 

"Well done Regina, you just killed everyone on that ship, including us." Rumple said impatiently. Regina pushed herself up off the floor, the ocean water still soaking her clothes. She could still taste the saltyness of it on her lips, and she went to her wardrobe to retrieve something a bit warmer to wear. She struggled with the waterlogged laces and buckles on her clothing before she grumbled in frustration and flicked her hand. In a puff of purple smoke she was in a warm robe and nightgown, her dark hair cascading in loose curls down her back. She slammed the wardrobe door shut and stared at him with a fire in her eyes. 

"I didn't kill anyone! That creature did." 

"That wasn't just any 'creature' Regina," Rumple stated, "that was a kraken." 

"A kraken? I thought those were just myth." Regina said with a tone of surprise. Rumple grinned. 

"Obviously not. The kraken is a creation of Poseidon, and they are under his control. Unless they need to feed, they only kill when Poseidon commands them to do so. And they only kill the person he wants dead." Regina blinked, started by this discovery. He continued his rant.

"So essentially dearie, you failed." He growled as he stormed away down the hall of the castle. Regina followed closely behind. 

"How did I fail? I was still able to save him with my magic!  That was the test!" She responded. He spun on his heels, staring her down. 

"No! That was not the test. And you failed because you tried to be the hero. If you hadn't gone into the water to save him, then all those other men would still be alive. Sometimes playing the hero can be even more dangerous than being the villain." He said angrily, his face just inches from hers. Her eyes widened as she realized the truth. 

"The young man was the one the kraken was after." She said softly. 

"Now you're starting to learn something." He replied with a cold stare. He continued to march down the hall, and Regina followed behind him. 

"But why would Poseidon want him dead? He was just a boy." Rumple shrugged, not giving a damn. 

"How should I know why he wanted him dead. All I know is that he was the only one meant to die, and now because of your act of heroism, all those men are dead. Not that it really matters anyway, after all this is just a dream." He stated, as though that would erase the screams of the men from her mind, or the look of fear on the boy's face. Rumple groaned. 

"It looks like we have a lot more work ahead then I thought." He said oved his shoulder to her. She continued to follow him, but suddenly Regina's heart seized in her chest, and she clutched her hand to her heart. She winced from the pain and fell to her knees, seething through clenched teeth. Rumple looked around the halls as if he expected something to happen. She looked up at him and for the first time (in the dreamworld or in real life), he seemed genuinely worried for her. He helped her to her feet as the pain began to subside, rushing her out of the castle. 

"You're not ready for this, but it appears that we're running out of time." He said. Regina looked at him. 

"Not ready for what?" 

"For your final test. You're going to face the one person you hate most." He replied. Regina wasn't sure what or who he was speaking of, but if it meant that she was close fo waking up, then she was ready. She had to be. 


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to the wonderful lil_sis24 for beta reading this chapter! You guys should definitely check out her work on ao3- she is a great person and an amazing writer ;)

It was quiet when they got back to Regina's hospital room. Snow was sitting off to the side of the room and rocking Robin gently in her arms, humming a lullaby. Henry was seated in a chair right next to his mother, holding her hand. He stroked the top of her hand softly with his thumb and stared at her longingly, praying she would wake up on her own. Rumple stared out the window and watched the people pass by in the streets below them. 

When everyone realized the three of them had returned they were excited. Henry smiled, knowing that soon this would all be just a memory. Emma gave him a small smile back and then looked around the room. 

"Where's Killian?" She asked. 

"He went to get coffee." Snow replied. Emma raised an eyebrow. 

"Really? You sent the only person in the room with one hand to get coffee?" Emma asked skeptically. She could just imagine the mess that would make. Rumple cleared his throat. 

"There isn't much time left. If we're  going to do this we need to do it now." He said. Emma nodded and Zelena handed the vial of fairy dust over to Rumple. He took it and stared at the contents of the small vial, studying it. 

He waved his hand over the dust, and the vial glowed suddenly with such a bright light that it made them all look away. The vial was consumed by the light to the point that they could no longer see the vial at all. It looked as though Rumple were holding a piece of the sun.

When the light dimmed the dust in the bottle glowed a soft blue. Rumple smirked, pleased with himself. He removed the cork and poured half of the vial's contents into the palm of his hand. He then showered Regina with the dust and put his hand over her heart, a small glimmer of light appearing in his palm. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the task, clearing any distractions from his mind. Everyone remained silent and watched him intently. 

At first nothing happened, but then Regina's eyelids fluttered slowly. She was trying to open her eyes. They all smiled, their eyes tearing up. Henry sat forward and leaned in close to his mother. 

"Mom!" He said excitedly. Regina did not respond. Her eyelids closed as her head slumped down on the pillow. Her heart monitor began to beep rapidly as her heart rate suddenly spiked. She convulsed, her body writhing and flailing about on the hospital bed. Henry cried harder as he shook his head. He couldn't stand seeing her like this. Rumple and Henry moved quickly and held her body down to keep her from causing injuries to herself. 

Dr. Whale and some nurses rushed into the room, pushing their way past anyone who was in their way. They worked on her for several minutes as they attempted to stabilize her. Dr. Whale and a nurse took Henry and Rumple's place as the two men stepped back. They held Regina down as another nurse injected a syringe of something into her IV. After a moment her body was still again, and her heartbeat slowed to the pace it had been before. Dr. Whale pulled his penlight out of his pocket and shined it into Regina's eyes one at a time to check their reaction to light. He frowned and let out a deep sigh, then turned to Snow and David. 

"We've stablized her, but I don't think she has much longer. I would recommend you say your goodbyes." He said sympathetically. Dr. Whale and the nurses left the room to leave the grieving family in peace. Snow buried her face in David's chest and sobbed. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, rubbing his hand across her back softly. Rumple approached Regina's bed first, and placed a hand on her shoulder. 

"Goodbye Regina," he said softly, "I'm sorry I couldn't do more to help you." He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze and then walked toward the door. David caught him by the arm. 

"You lied to us. You said this would work!" He said with anger. Snow wiped her eyes and looked between them. Rumple shook his head. 

"No, I said it might work. There's a difference." Rumple replied. 

"So do something; try the fairy dust again." Snow said. 

"I can't do that. You see we had a deal. They retrieve the fairy dust, and I use half to try and save Regina. The other half of the vial belongs to me. Besides," he said, glancing back towards the bed,

"You saw what happened before. If I did try again it would kill her. We've done everything we can; now you need to grieve for her." David let go of Rumple, realizing he was right. Rumple left the room, brushing past Hook as he came back with a drink tray full of coffees. He was staring down at the cups and recounting what the order was. 

"Snow, they didn't have any pumpkin spice or mocha flavors, so I just got you a reg-  what's going on?" He asked when he looked up and noticed everyone's sad faces. Emma went to him and took the coffee away, setting it aside. She explained everything that had happened, and as she did so his expression became sorrowful. 

Zelena went to the bed and took one of Regina's hands in her own, her tears flowing freely. She looked over to Henry, who was still seated next to the bed crying. She glanced around at the window and the faded paint on the walls, trying to find the right words. 

"It seems like you always get the last word; I wouldn't be surprised if you woke up now just to prove me right. Regina I am so sorry for everything I've done to you. I wanted so much to have someone who loves me, that I didn't realize that you were trying to be that person. I kept pushing you away because I thought you were just trying to use me, just like everyone else in my life. And now that we finally started becoming a family, I'm going to lose you. I just wish we had more time." Zelena said, her last sentence coming out stammered from the sobs that took over her. She let the tears fall and gathered herself, then continued. 

"I love you Regina. You will always be my little sister." She spoke. She leaned down and kissed her sister on the forehead gently. She stood back up and went to Snow as she wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Snow, would you mind keeping an eye on Robin for me again?" She asked. Snow looked at Zelena, confused. 

"Sure I don't mind, but where are you going?" She responded. 

"I need to go speak to my other sister." 

"The Evil Queen? Zelena you can't." David started. Zelena put up her hand to cut him off.

"She might have something to do with this. I have to find out." Zelena replied. She went to leave, but Emma caught her by the arm. 

"Zelena, it's too dangerous." Emma said. Zelena stared at her and a look of realization came over her. 

"You don't think I can do this." She said. Emma shook her head. 

"No Zelena, it's not that-" 

"Yes it is! You don't think I'm strong enough to handle her on my own. You believed in me enough to get the bloody fairy dust, you should believe in me now. Don't worry about me; I'll be fine." She replied shortly. Zelena waved her arms and disappeared in a cloud of green smoke, and Emma shook her head at her stubbornness. 

"I guess that's something her and Regina have in comon- their short temper." David said, but there was no humor in his voice. In the silence Regina's heart monitor beeped slowly, the only other sound was Henry's crying. 

                        *    *    *    *

Zelena appeared in her home with a fire in her eyes. She was furious, and she planned on getting answers. She glanced around the house desperately for her other sister, when suddenly her sultry voice came from behind.  

"Did you miss me?" The Queen's voice purred, but Zelena could see that something was wrong with her too. Her eyes did not have quite the same spark, and her smile was not as maliciously sweet. She could see that she was not feeling well at all, but Zelena did not feel any sympathy for her. She glared at her other sister and spoke. 

"Make it stop now." Zelena said through clenched teeth. The Evil Queen cocked her head. 

"Stop what, dear? I haven't started anything, unless you're referring to the tea I have brewing-" 

"Oh enough with the games! I know you're the one who's doing this to her, and now you're going to end it!" Zelena shouted as she crossed the room. She stopped once they were face to face, and Zelena could see clearly the dark bags underneath her normally perfect eyes. The Queen glared at her, but she was weaker than she was willing to admit. She forced herself to stand tall, speaking with a dangerous tone. 

"I don't know what you think I've done, but I can assure you that I had no part in it." The Queen turned to head out of the room, but her steps faltered. She stumbled backwards slightly, and Zelena instinctively put her arms out to catch her. She was able to keep herself upright, and she adjusted her coat before throwing a glance to Zelena over her shoulder. 

"Besides, as you can see I don't have very much strength today. I'm not feeling like myself." With that The Queen exited the room, leaving Zelena alone. 

"Well if it wasn't you, then who else would've hurt Regina?" Zelena asked rhetorically after The Queen had left the room. She thought she said it quietly, but when The Queen popped her head back around the corner she realized that she was mistaken. 

"Someone hurt Regina? Is that why she hasn't been snooping around with the Saviour and the one-handed wonder?" The Queen asked, almost giddy. Zelena rolled her eyes, but nodded. 

"She's in the hospital now; Rumplestiltskin said that it was being caused by the remaining darkness in her heart, and I-" 

"And you assumed that I was the one who'd awoken it." The Queen finished Zelena's thought. Zelena nodded again. The Queen almost seemed to be delighted at the prospect of Regina's death, which only served to infuriate Zelena. She smiled as her mind reeled with the possiblity.

"With Regina gone, Henry will finally want me as his mother!" The Queen announced happily. Zelena gaped at the audacity of this woman.

"No! You need to help me save her!" Zelena demanded. The Queen scoffed. 

"And why is that, dear? Why should I try to help you save her, the sister who claimed to accept you for who you are, and then immediately ripped out the best parts of her? The parts of her most like you?" The Queen stated, trying to manipulate Zelena. But Zelena knew what she trying to do. She looked her in the eyes and spoke low, almost mmenacingly.

"Because you can't survive without her. You said it yourself; you haven't been feeling well. You and Regina are still tethered to each other, so like it or not you're going to help me. Otherwise you both die." She answered. The Queen looked away from Zelena and out the window, her mind processing what she had said. For a moment the room was silent, before The Queen spoke again. 

"What about fairy fust? There has to be some remnants of fairy crystals down in the mines those dwarves are always picking away in." 

"We tried that. Rumple used his magic with the fairy dust to try and save her, but it just made things worse." Zelena replied. The Queen raised an eyebrow, pondering what she said. Then Zelena saw a spark in her eyes, and The Queen turned and headed towards the door with a sudden determination about her. 

"Where are you going?" 

"To get something that can help!" The Queen shouted. Zelena began to follow behind, but The Queen disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke. Zelena let out a frustrated growl and shattered a flower vase with her magic. The teapot began to whistle loudly from the kitchen, making Zelena head to the noise. She turned off the stove and took the pot off of the heat, almost burning herself in th process. Her mind went back to Regina in the hospital bed, so frail and weak. She didn't look like the strong woman she had come to love; the sister she was so thankful to have back in her life. She was so angry that she wanted to scream; it wasn't fair that she was going to lose the only family she had left in this world besides Robin. She slammed her hands on the counter as a wave of tears poured down her face. Her chest heaved from the sobs that wracked her body, and she wished for a miracle. 

"Please," she whispered, "don't let Regina die. Please let my sister live!" Zelena doubted that she would be heard. Her whole life she had prayed (to every god there was) for help. Help against her abusive father, help to take her magic away, help to control it, help to vanquish her enemies. But no matter how many times she prayed, she never received an answer. She blinked hard, closing her eyes to the world around her. She didn't speak another word, she simply thought 'please'. Then her cellphone rang suddenly, making her jump at the loud noise that disturbed the silence. It was the hospital. 

 

                        *    *    *    *

When The Queen appeared in Mr. Gold's shop she felt as though she were going to faint. Regina's heart was becoming weaker, which was putting a terrible  strain on her. Her heart was beating quickly, and her head throbbed so terribly that she was sure it would burst.

"She is always causing me trouble, even in a damn coma." The Queen muttered, clutching her chest. She leaned against the glass counter a moment to catch her breath; using her magic to arrive here had really taken its toll. As she leaned against the display counter she discovered she recognized a particular item on display: a set of antique barber's razors. Polished and pristine, they shined beautifully in the light of the shop, enticing to anyone with a necessity for them. She knew these blades from a particularly gruesome story about the previous owner; a story so well known that a musical was even made about him. The Queen stared at the set, wondering how in the world Rumplstiltskin could have ever fou-

"See something that you like?" Rumple asked sarcastically as he approached. She raised an eyebrow at his remark, but answered. 

"Not in this display case, no. But you do have something I need." She replied coyly. He smirked at her, it truly was a cat and mouse game between them. 

"And what is that, your Majesty?" He asked, mocking her with her own title. She leaned forward over the counter so that they were very close. 

"I need the shears of fate." She replied. Rumple scoffed at her. 

"I don't know what makes you think I have those in my possession." He turned and addressed the shelves behind him, adjusting items to ensure they were displayed properly. The Queen knew he was lying; he had them. He had to have them. 

"Don't play games with me Rumple; we don't have the time for it!" 

"No, you don't have the time for it. I, on the other hand, have all the time in the world." He said casually, and then went on straightening the shelves.

"Give me the shears or so help me I will-" She raised her hand to choke him with her magic, but nothing happened. He turned to face her, his expression stoic. 

"You'll what, your highness? You'll kill me? Seeing as you used the last of your dwindling magic to come here, I'd say that your threat on my life would be an empty one." She glared at him, but his expression did not change. She stepped behind the counter, so closly that he could smell the faint musk of her perfume. 

"I know you have those shears, and you're going to give them to me. No matter what it takes." She spoke softly, a threatening tone dripping from her tongue. He leaned in close to her, their faces just inches away from each other.   
"Threatening me will get you nowhere." He brushed past her and out from behind the counter to check how the diplays will look to a customer. She pursed her lips and followed him, eyes narrowing; calculating. She walked around in front of him, stopping him in his tracks.

"Won't it? Because you and I both know you have one weakness."

"And what is that, your Majesty?" Rumple asked. 

"Belle." The Queen smiled wickedly.

"Belle is safe." He replied coldly. 

"Is she?" The Queen chuckled, glancing around at the other items on display. 

"You need to leave." He growled. 

"Not until you give me what I want." She said, smiling. She had won. Rumple reached into his coat pocket and retrieved the shears, placing them in her cold hands. 

"Now get out of my shop." He sneered. The Queen smiled once again with satisfaction and headed for the door. But as she touched the handle she stopped, turning to face Rumple. 

"Oh and by the way, that trick you pulled at the hospital today was very impressive." 

"And what trick is that?" Rumple asked impatiently. He was done with her games. 

"Switching the bottles; making a big show that you tried to save Regina with the fairy dust when all you really had was a vial of sand. You have everyone convinced you actually tried to help- even my sister." She grinned at him, but he remained emotionless. 

"I can assure you, I have no idea what you're talking about." Rumple replied, resting his hands on the counter. The Queen smirked and left, knowing that while he had the last word between them, she was now the one with the leverage. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions- this creation was the culmination of sleep deprivation, an OUAT binge, and probably too much fast food.


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